Kinda like the WJC?
Either way the WBC is the closest thing they have to best on best baseball and Japan has done better then America. In Canada we claim to be the best due to results not because we have the best team on paper.
Is USA hockey's window smaller than we think ?
- Thread starter Brookbank
- Start date
-
Xenforo Cloud will be upgrading us to version 2.3.5 on March 3rd at 12 AM GMT. This version has increased stability and fixes several bugs. We expect downtime for the duration of the update. The admin team will continue to work on existing issues, templates and upgrade all necessary available addons to minimize impact of this new version. Click Here for Updates
Either way the WBC is the closest thing they have to best on best baseball and Japan has done better then America. In Canada we claim to be the best due to results not because we have the best team on paper.
WarriorofTime
Registered User
- Jul 3, 2010
- 33,329
- 23,663
JianYang
Registered User
- Sep 29, 2017
- 20,478
- 20,813
Yes, the defense is obviously still very good but not what it used to be.
Crosby2010
Registered User
- Mar 4, 2023
- 1,807
- 1,826
I don't know about a window. The Olympics are one year away. USA will have a similar team, as will Canada. Obviously both will look to improve on things but either way the US will be a contender literally in 12 months. So for sure they could win in 2026. I mean, 2025 went to overtime. It isn't as if they couldn't have won now. It was close.
I do understand the spirit of this original post. And it reminds me a bit from the 1996 World Cup. The Americans even in 1991 were on the rise, but Canada was so stacked in 1991 (especially with the players who didn't play) that I don't think people thought the US would win 5 years later. But they did. And their players were younger than Canada's in 1996. We had Gretzky, Messier, Coffey, Yzerman, etc. and obviously lots of under 30 talent but our core was older. The Americans' core was younger. Lots of guys playing the best hockey of their lives. 25 years old for example. 1998 was more of the same, the Americans weren't old then either. But in 2002 that same core was over 30 and there weren't players coming up in the pipeline for them. Canada had a veteran roster in 2002 but had some younger talent and definitely had players coming up the pipeline. 2004 the US had much of the same core from 1996. There just wasn't those stars coming up. In 2010 we had a stacked team and the U.S. didn't. They made the game a lot closer than it should have been but it was obvious to me that looking back that strong core was from 1996-'02 for them. With 2002 proving they were getting longer in the tooth.
1996 reminds me of 2025. The U.S. has a young team with lots of talent and they should be good at least for the next two best on bests, 2026 and 2028. Canada will still be insanely strong in 2030, and I am not sure if the U.S. has those players to replace the ones playing right now. But we'll have to see.
I do understand the spirit of this original post. And it reminds me a bit from the 1996 World Cup. The Americans even in 1991 were on the rise, but Canada was so stacked in 1991 (especially with the players who didn't play) that I don't think people thought the US would win 5 years later. But they did. And their players were younger than Canada's in 1996. We had Gretzky, Messier, Coffey, Yzerman, etc. and obviously lots of under 30 talent but our core was older. The Americans' core was younger. Lots of guys playing the best hockey of their lives. 25 years old for example. 1998 was more of the same, the Americans weren't old then either. But in 2002 that same core was over 30 and there weren't players coming up in the pipeline for them. Canada had a veteran roster in 2002 but had some younger talent and definitely had players coming up the pipeline. 2004 the US had much of the same core from 1996. There just wasn't those stars coming up. In 2010 we had a stacked team and the U.S. didn't. They made the game a lot closer than it should have been but it was obvious to me that looking back that strong core was from 1996-'02 for them. With 2002 proving they were getting longer in the tooth.
1996 reminds me of 2025. The U.S. has a young team with lots of talent and they should be good at least for the next two best on bests, 2026 and 2028. Canada will still be insanely strong in 2030, and I am not sure if the U.S. has those players to replace the ones playing right now. But we'll have to see.
Peiskos
Registered User
- Jan 4, 2018
- 3,776
- 3,853
I like to frame it from a different perspective, put Canada in the US's shoes, in 2025 if Canada had not won a mens level tournament since 1996 there would be utter chaos in Canada and within the Hockey Canada program, regardless or not if we had great players and a decent team on paper, regardless or not if we made finals and came close losing in OT to the best, if the results aren't there it means absolutely nothing.
At some point you have put up or shut up. Moral victories go only go so far.
At some point you have put up or shut up. Moral victories go only go so far.
Czechboy
Náš f*cken barák!
- Apr 15, 2018
- 30,440
- 28,236
Yes, but not the best U20 players. Those guys are already in the NHL. Hell, Bedard still could've played in Ottawa. So could have Celebrini. I"m sure there is an American in the NHL too.
ORRFForever
Registered User
- Oct 29, 2018
- 20,865
- 12,019
Crosby2010
Registered User
- Mar 4, 2023
- 1,807
- 1,826
We went insane after losing in 1996 and in 1998. I remember that. So yeah there would be pandemonium if we hadn't won in three decades. Heck, people harp on about the Habs being the last Canadian team to win the Cup and that has no bearing on Canadian players or Canadian hockey.
ORRFForever
Registered User
- Oct 29, 2018
- 20,865
- 12,019
The U.S. team is amazing - big and talented. The 2015-2019 drafts really paid off.
Non Canadian posters just need to recognize how strong OUR drafts are from 2020-2026.
Czechboy
Náš f*cken barák!
- Apr 15, 2018
- 30,440
- 28,236
THIS..
If international hockey were a Rocky Movie.. Canada is Rocky and always winning in the end. Sure, Creed looked great. Sure, Drago looked great. Mr T was a menace. But it always ends with Rocky fighting a new opponent and winning. Might be Russians, Americans, Swedes or Finn's (Skoda rivalry) but Canada is the stable piece in the argument.
And I say all this as a fan of another country.lol
Golden_Jet
Registered User
- Sep 21, 2005
- 28,372
- 15,163
Hockey in general is #3 in the world if you include ice and field.
Last edited:
Peiskos
Registered User
- Jan 4, 2018
- 3,776
- 3,853
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
You cant be serious. Like maybe 30% of the best players play in the WBC. The WJC has about 95% of the best players.
Try comparing the WBC to the Mens World Championships, and then you might have a more accurate comparison.
WarriorofTime
Registered User
- Jul 3, 2010
- 33,329
- 23,663
They had played in the world juniors in their last year as junior players. When they graduated to nhl they weren’t junior players at that point.
Golden_Jet
Registered User
- Sep 21, 2005
- 28,372
- 15,163
They could still have played if teams had sent them to play in the tournament.
CarolinaBlueJacket
Registered User
Czechboy
Náš f*cken barák!
- Apr 15, 2018
- 30,440
- 28,236
Yes but it isn't a junior tournament.. it is a U20 tournament. Several Czechs play professionally as well.. Sweden, Finland, extraliga and NLA.
It is about the age not the league.
